March 13, 2008

Have you ever wondered....Who are the longest currently tenured coaches at a BCS Conference school that haven't guided their current program to a BCS bowl game? Well, I'm glad you asked. Last year, we published this list, and I wanted to take a moment to update it for 2008.

1. Houston Nutt - Arkansas' former coach previously held the #1 position having been with the Hawgs since 1998. However, his move to Ole Miss starts his clock all over again. Tom O'Brien of NCSU is in a similar situation. He started at Boston College in '97, but his move to the Wolfpack in '07 started his egg timer again.

2. Chan Gailey - Chan was tied for 7th place last year, but his dismissal from Georgia Tech eliminates him from consideration.

3. Mark Mangino - The Kansas Pretty Boy worked his way off the list via an appearance in the Orange Bowl.

Just off the list:

Jim Leavitt (USF since '96) and Randy Edsall (UConn since '99) are in purgatory for the purposes of the list. Both are entrenched at their schools, but neither has been in a BCS conference for very long. Edsall will probably make the list next year...if he's still at UConn.

With a couple of terminations or break out season at the top of the list, you might find Steve Spurrier breaking the Top 10 of this prestigious gathering of coaching futility. Dave Wannstedt (2005), Greg Robinson (2005) and Ty Willingham (2005) are also aggressively stalking the list.

The Camel Club:

Phil Fulmer continues to rule this category with an iron fist. The Camel Club recognizes coaches who've "gone without" the longest. The Vols haven't been to a BCS game since their trip to the Fiesta Bowl following the 1999 season. No other active coach has tasted the thrill of BCS success followed by a longer dry spell than Fulmer.

Joe Tiller (Purdue) comes closest to Fulmer with his Rose Bowl appearance following the 2000 season.

How Long to Wait?Every school's situation is different, but how long should a program give a coach before making a BCS game? Over the past 10 seasons, 36 different BCS schools have made BCS appearances. There are only 65 schools in BCS conferences.

ACC Teams*

Big 12 Teams

Big 10 Teams

Florida StateMarylandVirginia TechWake Forest

TexasTexas A&MOklahomaNebraskaKansas StateKansasColorado

MichiganOhio StateWisconsinIowaIllinoisPurduePenn State

Big East Teams*

Pac 10 Teams

SEC Teams

MiamiPittSyracuseWest VirginiaLouisville

USCUCLAWashingtonWashington St.OregonOregon St.Stanford

FloridaTennesseeGeorgiaAlabamaAuburnLSU

Others:Notre DameUtahBoise StateHawaii

*Note: Obviously, teams like Miami and VT moved from conference to conference. I could have listed them in both slots, but that's not really the point.

Any teams or coaches on that list surprise you? Did I overlook anyone?

I think conference titles are much more important than BCS bids. IMO, at-large BCS bids are primarily popularity contests, and getting a BCS bid without winning the conference shouldn't give coaches a pass or congratulations.

Orange Bowl or not, Missouri and their division title is worth more than what Kansas accomplished, especially since Kansas (and UGa) "earned" their at-large bid primarily by sitting at home on Championship Sunday.

BCS at-large bids obviously mean you've had a good season, but the goal should be more than an at-large consolation prize.

One common denominator of most of the teams (maybe not Clemson) is that historically, going to any bowl is pretty rare. I mean, Vandy? Even MSU aside from the cheating Sherril years has mainly had lean times. Imo, Bobby Johnson and Rich Brooks are pulling rabbits out of hats just to stay where they are.

This is way off topic, and maybe I'm simply stupid, but are there any audio recordings of Munson doing the 1981 Sugar Bowl (versus ND)? I just watched the DVD with Keith Jackson calling the shots on ABC, and that was magical in and of itself, but, to this day, I've never heard any audio-clips of "and there's Buck's first completion." Was our Munson even there?

And if any of you remember, Herschel, DID or no DID, was still the man - 4th quarter, we're running out the clock and a LB from ND licks him and licks him hard. A Greg Blue kinda hit, but Hersh, his head pops back, he stutters, but he he didn't go down. Not until two other Irish pansies can wrap him up. It's the best part of the game: "Whoooa, my goodness, what a hit, and he still needed help taking the horse down." (Keith Jackson, not entirely or exactly quoted accurately).

Responding to the post of Clemson "choking away an ACC title", I believe the last time UGA played BC they were defeated. But I guess Boston College just got worse, seeing as their qb was Matt Ryan, a heisman trophy candidate for two years if I'm not mistaken.

LMAO @ the Clemson fan trying to talk smack on a Georgia blog. Yeah, back when they were in the Big East and in Richt's first bowl ever. BTW, since you wanna bring up way back when, what happened the last time we played in your house? I mean that was at least since what you're trying to bring up and all, home game for you guys... IIRC, your precious rock didn't bring you much luck that night. Richt's gone to 3 BCS bowl games since what you wanna talk about, let's talk about what Tammy has done in that same span!

Does anyone notice that no matter how crummy the Big [1]0 is, they always get 2 BCS bowls? These past 2 years, they've lost 4 BCS Bowls.

Cal in 2006-2007 and ASU in 2007-2008 both won the Pac 10 (tied with USC) but were not invited to a BCS Bowl. Illinois finishes third in the Big [1]0, gets invited to the Rose Bowl and loses by the biggest margin of any BCS Bowl this past season.